Apparatus for making ferrotype prints



July 30, 1957 w L Y 2,800,846

APPARATUS FOR MAKING FERROTYPE PRINTS Filed Sept. 3. 1954 INVENTORATTORNEYS United States Patent APPARATUS FOR MAKING FERROTYPE PRINTSWalter M. Farley, Milford, Conn.

Application September 3, 1954, Serial No. 453,539

4 Claims. (Cl. 95-405) The present invention relates to a roller deviceand particularly to a roller device for use in making ferrotype prints.

In making ferrotype or glossy prints in which a wet printing paper ispressed against a smooth plate, it has long been a problem of securingintimate contact between the emulsion side of the paper and the platedue to entrapped air therebetween and it has also been a problem inproducing prints without substantial curl in the direction of the plateas they are dried.

The present invention overcomes these difiiculties by providing a rollerwhich not only presses the paper into engagement with the plate but alsoapplies it in such a manner as to eliminate any air which might beentrapped and which roller in applying the paper also conditions it soas to prevent curl in the print.

This is accomplished by providing a roller with a contactor thereonspaced at least 90 from the point of contact of the roller with theplate, which contactor is provided with a moisture-retaining surface sothat when the wet paper for the print passes between the contactor andthe roller the contactor holds the paper in engagement with the rollerand causes it to put a reverse curve in the paper as it is applied tothe plate so as to, in effect, prestretch the emulsion on the outersurface of the curved portion and thereby prevent curling of the paperas the print dries and at the same time will not remove the moisturefrom the paper.

Further, as the roller moves over the plate to apply the paper thereto,any air which could be trapped between the paper and plate will besqueezed out so that there will be proper and intimate engagementbetween the paper and the plate.

A feature of the invention resides in the simplicity of construction ofthe roller and the ease with which it may be manipulated.

Other features and advantages :of the invention will be apparent fromthe specification and claims when considered in connection with thedrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of the roller device.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the roller of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section, of the roller of Fig. 1 showing theapplication of the print to the plate.

Fig. 4 shows a detailed sectional view of the roller member showinganother form of the invention.

As shown in the drawings, the roller device of the present invention isof particular utility in the formation of ferrotype or glossy prints inwhich the wet photographic paper 11 comprising a base 11a and anemulsion coating 11b is pressed, emulsion side down, against the smoothsurface of the plate.

In carrying out the present invention the roller device 10 comprises aroller 12 having a relatively hard surface. In the illustrated form ofthe invention the roller is formed of a hard rubber mounted on a shaft13 passing axially therethrough and having its ends rotatably supportedby a frame 14 to which is secured a handle 15 whereby the roller can bereadily manipulated.

In accordance with the present invention the roller device is providedwith a contacting member 16 which is adapted to be carried by the frameand is urged into engagement with the roller at a point not less thanfront the point of contact of the roller with the plate. The contactormay be carried in a bail 17 pivotally mounted in depending position onthe frame, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 wherein it is urged toward theroller by gravity or any other suitable means, or may be carried inprojecting arms 18 forming extensions of the frame 16 to be slidablyurged toward the roller by spring means 19 as shown in Fig. 4. It willbe seen, therefore, from Fig. 3 that the paper 11 to be applied totheplate is first extended between the roller and the contactor with theemulsion side facing the contactor and the end disposed between theroller 12 and the plate 20. This, as shown in Fig. 3, will put a reversebend in the paper which tends to prestretch the emulsion and preventcurling of the dry print when it is removed from the plate.

In the preferred form of the invention the contactor is made ofabsorbent material. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3 this comprises a bar 16a offelt mounted in channel 17a of the bail so as to have a projectingsurface to engage the paper, while in the form of the invention shown inFig. 4 the contacting member comprises a roll 16b of porous rubberrotatably mounted in sliding blocks 18:: carried by the extensions 18.In either case the com [actor presents a soft surface which will not marthe emulsion on the paper. To prevent the contactor from removing themoisture from the paper which is essential to produce fine glossyprints, the roll or bar is saturated with moisture and the surfacebecomes moisture repellent so that as the wet paper passes thereoverthere will not be any tendency to remove the moisture from the paper.

vln using the novel rolling device of the present invention a new andimproved method of making ferrotype or glossy prints is provided. Thewet paper 11 is first mounted in position on the roller device so as toextend between the contactor and roller with the emulsion side facingthe contactor and the end of the paper disposed between the plate androller, as shown in Fig. 3. As the roller is moved along in thedirection of the arrow A, the paper is given a reverse bend and theemulsion stretched and the emulsion side is pressed progressively intocontact with the smooth surface of the plate. It will be seen that asthe roller moves it will squeeze out from between the plate and paperany air which could be entrapped between the paper and plate. thusproducing an intimate engagement and contact between the paper and theplate throughout the whole area thereof. When the print is dried, itwill be found to have less tendency to curl than heretofore, due to theprestretching of the emulsion and will have a smooth, glossy surfacethroughout.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claimsand portions of the improvcmtns may be used without others,

I claim:

1. A roller device for use in applying wet photographic paper in makingferrotype prints from a plate comprising a roller, a frame rotatablymounting the roller. a handle on the frame for moving the frame andpressing the roller against the plate to move the roller over the plateand apply a paper to the plate, and a paper contacting member adapted toengage the paper at a point not less than 90 from the point of contactof the roller with the plate to press the paper against the roller witha reverse bend around the roller, said contacting member having a paperengaging surface capable of retaining moisture, said surface beingsaturated whereby moisture is not removed from the paper as the papermoves thereover.

2. A roller device for use in applying wet photographic paper in makingferrotype prints comprising a roller, a frame rotatably mounting theroller, a handle on the frame for moving the frame and manipulating theroller. and a paper contacting member carried by the frame andyieldingly urged into engagement with the paper at a point not less than90 from the point of contact of the roller with the plate to hold thepaper against the roller to provide a reverse bend in the paper, saidcontacting member having a moisture-retaining surface whereby moistureis not removed from the paper as the paper moves thereby.

3. A roller device for use in applying wet photographic paper in makingferrotype prints comprising a roller, a frame rotatably mounting theroller, a handle on the frame for moving the frame and manipulating theroller, and a paper contacting member adapted to engage the paper at apoint not less than 90 from the point of contact of the roller with theplate to hold the paper in a reverse bend therearound, said contactingmember comprising a roller of porous material having a moistureretainingsurface whereby moisture is not removed from the paper as the papermoves thereby.

4. A roller device for use in applying wet photographic paper in makingferrotype prints comprising a roller, a frame rotatably mounting theroller, a handle on the frame for moving the frame and manipulating theroller, and a paper contacting member adapted to engage the paper at apoint not less than 90 from the point of con tact of the roller with theplate to hold the paper in a reverse bend therearound, said contactingmember comprising a bar of absorbent material having a moistureretaining surface whereby moisture is not removed from the paper as thepaper moves thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

